Should Men be allowed in a Women's Forum?

[Duck on Wheels]

Hmm. I thought Mr Silver's battle cry and comments about it being testosterone fueled was funny. Especially since I've been known to howl with the best of them.......

I thought he was being (self-)ironic. Very appropriate, except that irony is always tough to communicate in writing, even with smileys.

Oh, and there is the "cowabunga!" cry from "Fried Green Tomatoes ..."

[Kitsune06]

Trivia geek here: tell me what this thing with the ring finger length?

~T~

....is that what it is? Oh. And here I was all hung up on the apparently antiquated definition of the word 'sporting'

My ring finger is *significantly* longer than my index... but I have yet to see any special benefit... At least as far as biking goes...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Hmm. I thought Mr Silver's battle cry and comments about it being testosterone fueled was funny. Especially since I've been known to howl with the best of them.......

For the record, I thought his "battle cry" comment was funny too. Just shows how we women are all varied too in our thoughts and perceptions. I love the diversity of TE.

[mimitabby]

My middle finger is longer than my ring finger. I doubt it's genetic or even a measure of my potential... I think it just got that way by practice!

no, no Blue,
the comparison is between the index and the ring finger, and for some reason,
even if you're lefty, only the right hand counts.

I have long ring fingers and so does DH and my two sons. One day a few months ago, I had everyone in the bike club (at a dinner) show me their fingers. It was about 50-50 and some of the little ring fingers belonged to racers. so go figure.

[Kitsune06]

Wait, do we measure from the top or from the bottom? Er, I mean back of the hand or palm? Palmwise, I think my index looks longer...

Bluetree, I agree.... Wishful thinking and selective adaptation.

[Deanna]

Just my .02. This is a public forum and therefore I believe we have to allow men. Personally, I do not have a problem with it as the facilities exist to have a member banned if they are offensive, and we are strong enough (both with our personality and in numbers) to make them feel more uncomfortable then they could possibly make us.

This thread reminds me of a case that's been in my local news. A man has successfully sued a womans only gym to allow him membership. He won, the gym has now had to close because they could not afford to build a locker room and shower facilities for him, or to pay the daily fines levied for each day they did not provide these facilities. I'm a little less in agreement with this judgment as I think having to pay for membership, makes it more of a "private" business than a public entity. However, the case was argued that private mens clubs were banned in the interest of equality and that women have to "play fair" now that the tables are turned.

[Bikingmomof3]

Just checked my identical twins hands...index and ring finger are the same length on both hands. DH points out his are not. My index finger is longer on both hands. What the heck does that mean?

[mimitabby]

Just checked my identical twins hands...index and ring finger are the same length on both hands. DH points out his are not. My index finger is longer on both hands. What the heck does that mean?

YOU HAVE A TWIN?????

So which one of you is more competitive?

[Kitsune06]

Does it matter? We already know Jen's the evil one...

ohhhhh
I kid 'cuz I love
my sister.
ARRR!!! Nooo don't chase me!!! AAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!~
.....


....

[salsabike]

Here, amuse yourselves with the whole finger measurement thing and more:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbo...add_user.shtml

[Pedal Wench]

The whole debate is moot, because there is no way to police it. However, our kind and generous sponsors and hosts could easily open the forum only to TE customers. (In which case, I would have a gold-plated lifetime membership!) That might be a way of limiting access, but it's not very appealing. I think most of us like the welcoming feel of this group. Inclusionary, not exclusionary...

[salsabike]

The whole debate is moot, because there is no way to police it. However, our kind and generous sponsors and hosts could easily open the forum only to TE customers. (In which case, I would have a gold-plated lifetime membership!) That might be a way of limiting access, but it's not very appealing. I think most of us like the welcoming feel of this group. Inclusionary, not exclusionary...

Right.

[mimitabby]

There have been the occasional male posters who I am not certain understood what team ESTROGEN meant.

[Eden]

I participate both here and in co-ed forums. Personally I like posting and reading here more because there is a greater range of topics discussed and the discussions tend to be more thought out and civil than because it is exclusively women. Granted these things happen likely because it is a women's forum, but thoughtfullness and civility are not mutually exclusive with being a man. I can see no reason to discriminate against anyone and I can understand if a man might like this forum for the same reasons I do. (speaking as a woman married to a man who feels he doesn't understand other men all that well and what's all that macho bs about anyway...but he's not a forum reader kind of guy so I don't think you'll ever hear from him)

Plus, like others said this is a public forum - anyone who wants to can get on and read your posts, so sorry to break any illusions, but don't share things you want to keep private... If it would embarass you to discuss diva cups or hormones in a crowded noisy restaurant, well this is pretty much the same atmosphere, anyone can "overhear" you.

[Kitsune06]

Civil, yes, but I'd like to point out that although we have the term "testosterone poisoning" for the BJ/MTBR forums' knack for "You suck because of a,b,c...." and "My bike has more bling because a,b,c..." we manage to have our own ridiculous cattiness and metaphorical "My <X> is bigger/better/lighter/more expensive than yours" going on here. No real term for it, certainly not 'estrogen poisoning'... probably not even insecurity. Just stupid cattiness.

Men did not bring that here. It's our own competitive nature. Yes it runs rampant on those other forums to a much greater degree, but pressed, I betcha I could come up with several threads who have managed great wonders of b*tchiness.

I just LOVE the ones where newbies will come on and say "I'm just starting biking, but only want to spend $3k on a bike..."
...wtf? If you're just starting, entry level is fine. Better than fine. I'd encourage it. I wouldn't say anyone would be wasting their money. Why? Entry level is heavier. It does not glide like a little nimble gazelle. That's good. Why? Because then you have to work that much harder as you start out. It strengthens you while you still have that cute novice drive.
Hate to break it to anyone, too, but unless you're racing etc, it's worthless shave grams here and there and everywhere at the expense of hundreds.
You know that chick in downtown Portland wearing striped knee socks and an Invader Zim messenger bag on the rusty, hot pink singlespeed nishiki? She'll blow your doors in. Hardcore. Why? She does it every freakin' day. She's no weight weenie. She's not a wooly nut. She just does what she does every day, and then hangs with her friends for a beer and a pizza.

Another thing, You list to me the real racers on this forum, and guaranteed, you look at what they're saying, where they're posting, they are generally not the ones talking smack about who's what is lighter, whether or not their Underarmor is better than your whatever, or if entry level is a waste of time.

We cannot ban men on the basis of 'testosterone poisoning' on coed forums because we bring it right here, ladies. Right here in our own back yard.